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Covid-19 -- is it less severe in asthmatic and allergic children?
  • Chandra Sekhar Devulapalli
Chandra Sekhar Devulapalli
NAV

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Abstract

It has been widely reported that vast majority of children have experienced only mild symptoms in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. It also appears that children have a minimal risk of developing COVID-19 and also minimal risk of a fatal outcome. Reasons for this is largely unknown in the present circumstances. Patients with severe and uncontrolled asthma have also been classified to be at increased risk of developing more severe COVID-19. It has been earlier speculated that children were less sensitive to COVID-19 because the maturity and binding ability of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) in children may be lower than in adults. A recent study indicate that children with asthma and allergies have reduced ACE2 gene expression due to down-regulation of the ACE2 receptor. It is conceivable that virus-induced immune response and subsequent tissue damage may be less pronounced in children. So far, there is no evidence to suggest that children with chronic diseases like asthma and allergy will have a more severe reaction to COVID-19.